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WORLD NEWSSaturday 13 February 2016
Protesting Greek farmers drive tractors through Athens
Farmers drive their tractors in front of the Greek parliament during a rally in Athens, Friday, Feb. 12, Square in preparation for The most severe clashes
2016. Farmers from across Greece gather in Athens for a two-day protest against the government an all-night sit-in. came in the morning out-
and its plans to impose new tax hikes and pension charges. Farming associations have side the agriculture ministry,
been blockading highways where about 800 farmers
(AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris) across the country with from Crete were demand-
tractors for more than two ing access to the building.
ELENA BECATOROS ma Square to protest tax ministry. weeks, forcing traffic into Riot police used tear gas to
Associated Press hikes and pension reforms. Music blared from loud- lengthy diversions to pro- repel groups hurling rocks
ATHENS, Greece (AP) — The two-day protest kicked speakers and protesters test a planned overhaul and tomatoes and setting
More than a dozen trac- off Friday morning with braving rain lit a bonfire of the country’s troubled dumpsters alight.
tors rolled through Athens clashes between riot police near the Tomb of the Un- pension system. So far, they Numerous windows of
on Friday, honking horns and Cretan farmers wield- known Soldier at the foot have refused talks with the the ministry building were
and flashing lights outside ing shepherd’s staffs that of parliament, while about government, insisting the smashed, and rubble from
parliament as thousands left 10 policemen slightly 20 tractors parked nearby. pension reform plan must broken paving stones lit-
of Greek farmers thronged injured and smashed win- Tents were set up in the ad- be repealed. tered the road outside. Po-
the capital’s main Syntag- dows at the agriculture jacent central Syntagma Bailout lenders are de- lice said the farmers threat-
manding that Greece ened to spray them with
scrap tax breaks for farm- a pesticide used for olive
ers and impose pension re- trees if the police used tear
forms that will lead to high- gas. At least four farmers
er monthly contributions were detained.
from the self-employed One outnumbered riot po-
and salaried employees. lice unit was forced to flee
“They fooled us,” Manolis up a street, with farmers
Paterakis, head of one of wielding staffs and pieces
Crete’s farmer blockades, of wood in pursuit.
said of the left-led govern- Separate clashes broke
ment. “They were telling us out on highways leading
that they support us, that into the Greek capital. To
they are fighting for the the east of Athens, farmers
survival of the farmers, ... used tractors to circumvent
that young people need to a police roadblock, drive
return to their villages and over a highway barrier and
work their land. block the main highway
“The same people (now) to Athens’ international
come and confirm the airport for about half an
exact opposite,” he said. hour, leaving travelers with
“Whoever farms today, the planes to catch walking
only thing they will achieve along the road, wheel-
is to have debts to the tax ing their suitcases behind
office.” them.
Spain: Civil servant fined after
skipping work for many years
A. CLENDENNING case was discovered in
C. GILES 2010, shortly before he was
Associated Press due to receive a plaque
MADRID (AP) — The case recognizing him for 20
started with confusion years of service.
over where a civil servant Former Cadiz Deputy May-
in southern Spain worked. or Jose Blas Fernandez said
Now a court has ruled in a telephone interview he
he must pay back nearly initiated the investigation
27,000 euros ($30,500) in after reviewing personnel
wages because for years records and realizing no
he actually didn’t work one had seen the worker
at all. The employee of a for a long time after his
water utility owned by the transfer to the utility from a
Spanish city of Cadiz didn’t city hall job.
appear at its office for up The Aguas de Cadiz util-
to six years and “did ab- ity told Blas Fernandez it
solutely no work” for three thought the worker had
years prior to his retirement transferred back to city
in 2011, said the ruling is- hall, but that wasn’t the
sued last month and pro- case, Blas Fernandez said.
vided to The Associated He got the worker on the
Press Friday. phone, ordered him to re-
It didn’t explain why the port to city hall and said he
worker, who cannot be was evasive when asked
named under Spanish law, what sort of tasks he had
went undetected until his been doing in recent years.
